Blog Tour & Giveaway: Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta

 Today WinterHaven Books is touring with 132 Minutes and not only are we sharing a DOUBLE REVIEW of Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta, but also a DOUBLE GIVEAWAY!

Thank you 132 Minutes for allowing us to participate!

Quintana Of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Publication Date: September 26, 2012
Publisher: Viking Australia

There's a babe in my belly that whispers the valley, Froi. I follow the whispers and come to the road . . .

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi must travel through Charyn to search for Quintana, the mother of Charyn's unborn king, and protect her against those who will do anything to gain power. But what happens when loyalty to family and country conflict? When the forces marshalled in Charyn's war gather and threaten to involve the whole of the land, including Lumatere, only Froi can set things right, with the help of those he loves.

Arlene's Thoughts
As Froi would say... My side of despair is that our Lumatere journey is over. My side of wonder is that this amazing experience Marchetta delivered will forever remain in my heart. Quintana of Charyn was more magnificent than I could ever express in words. Melina Marchetta once again delivered an epic tale of friendship, loyalty and love. Those elements combined with her magical storytelling provided an emotional and heartfelt journey not to be missed by fans of this gifted author!

In this final installment of The Lumatere Chronicles, we journey through the land of Skuldenore as Froi searches for Quintana to fulfill his promise of bringing her and their unborn Little King to safety and away from those that hunger for power at any cost. Throughout this novel, Froi battles between his loyalty for Lumatere and his love for Quintana. This is a story of community, conflict and commitment to those you serve and those you love. It's about putting the needs of others before your own. To walk away from this series without some sense of attachment to this cast of characters is to miss the gift of magic this story has to offer.

When I began this series with Finnikin of the Rock, I developed an attachment to the two main characters Finn and Isaboe. They won my heart in the first installment, but as the story progressed I found my loyalty shifting to Froi and Quintana. In Froi of Exiles and Quintana of Charyn, these two characters stole the show with their fierce sense of allegiance toward each other and their sincere moments of vulnerability. I truly fell for these two for so many reasons... where to start? There was something about Quintana's character that I admired and to see this girl struggle to survive at any cost was nothing short of inspirational. There's a part in the novel where Quintana says, "Me. I determine my own worth. If I had to rely on others I'd have lain down and died waiting." That is just a small example of her strength and determination to get herself through the difficult times she faced. Quintana was like the flawed gem that ultimately shined brighter than any other character in this story.

However, as with any cast there are always one or two supporting characters that must also be acknowledged and to dismiss Phaedra and Lucian would feel criminal. If there's a character quality that holds its weight in gold for me, that would be loyalty. Bar none, when I read about characters that are willing to sacrifice their happiness or at times their life for another, and do so with the most noble of intentions I'm hooked. Their story somehow pushed its way to the forefront and captured my attention pretty hard, and if Marchetta decides to revisit any of the Lumatere cast, I hope it's these two.

As with most of Marchetta’s novels, her stories are significantly character driven. You get to meet several communities in this series and have the opportunity to spend considerable time with them. At the end of the novel, as a reader you not only gain a sense of accomplishment in having completed the journey, but also a feeling of having earned a place in these people’s lives. Becoming vested in the story is what Marchetta delivers every time with her novels and Quintana is no exception.

Quintana of Charyn was poignant and heartrending to such a significant degree! There were so many moments that pulled at my heartstrings. However, I feel the need to call out one in particular. There's a moment in the novel where Phaedra is returning to her village and she's given a letter from her Queen Quintana, as she was reading that letter, as a complicit bystander in that moment I was fighting hard to keep back the tears. It was EMOTIONAL to the 10th degree!! So when you come across that scene, embrace it and read it slowly. If your experience is anything like mine, you’ll feel a myriad of emotions cascade through you in the most rewarding of ways.

Well, as I said at the start, I’m truly sad this journey has ended, but I’m so grateful for having experienced it to begin with. One of my favorite stories that will hold a spot at the top of my shelf for quite some time. Loved it!!

5 Snowflakes

Amber's Thoughts
Where do I even begin? Quintana of Charyn was the perfect ending to a perfect trilogy of epic proportions. Even though I am devastated for this journey to end, I feel utterly satisfied and left with a smile. The world Ms. Marchetta has created is one for the record books and one that should be snuggled up next to your all-time favorites. Her creative imagination and storytelling is insurmountable. I have so much admiration for her beautiful writing, creative pros and captivating characters.

“We don’t know what we’re fighting for anymore,” Fekra said quietly to Froi. “Do you?” “Oh, I’ve always known what I’m fighting for,” Froi replied. “Quintana of Charyn and her child. Nothing else matters, Fekra.”

 “You want to make a good king?” Gargarin asked. “One of sound mind? One who knows he was loved so he can love his people in return? One who understands justice and the sacrifice of those who came before him? Then treat his mother as a queen.”

  “And if he is all wrong, what will you do?” Froi asked. She thought a moment. “I’ll hold him tight and tell him that we’ll be wrong for this world together.”

 I don’t know how Ms. Marchetta does it, but these pages are filled with magic and a story deeper within itself. In this installment, I really loved that Froi has found a sense of what family and love is. He’s found an undeniable bond that develops over time, but was so very touching. There are many difficulties and obstacles thrown into the paths of the people on the Land of Skulendore. Your heart will be torn and then patched back together and then repeated over and over. But it was so worth it. There is just so much to say about this trilogy, the writing, the plots and twist, but what I really want to relay is that I couldn’t possibly write a typical review of this book and give it the justice it deserves nor do I want to dive into the intricacies of the story because I want you, the readers, to experience this masterpiece for yourself and develop your own relationship with it.

I will miss reading about these characters and the lands they roam. I just have one wish, and that is that Ms. Marchetta considers writing a story of the new young King. Not now, but maybe down the road.

5 Snowflakes

Giveaway #1 Courtesy of WinterHaven Books

Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta - International Giveaway

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Giveaway #2 Courtesy of 132 Minutes

WinterHaven would love it if you could please show some bloggie love to our tour organizers 132 Minutes by visiting their blog and thanking them for this incredible series giveaway. :) Thank you Alexa and Joy for putting this event together and hosting such a great giveaway!!!

INTERNATIONAL.

Entrants must be 13 years old to enter.

Hosts will not be responsible for lost or damage of goods while in shipment.

Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to reply or another will be drawn.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway